Out of Switzerland, into the world

By Doug Koop  |  Editorial Director

Jesus set a lot of activity in motion when He commissioned His followers to "make disciples of all nations." This was particularly true in the second half of 20th century when Billy Graham and other like-minded Christians turned this core responsibility into a truly global enterprise. Their clarion call to "bring God's good news" to the whole world gained impetus at a gathering on the shores of Lake Geneva in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Back in 1974, Graham was the key figure in a group that organized a major gathering of Christian leaders in Lausanne. Their overriding goal was "to see men, women, children and communities come to know Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord."

Some 2,700 delegates from 150 countries came together to worship, consult and strategize. Ten days later they spilled back to their home countries filled with immense enthusiasm to work cooperatively at the monumental task of evangelizing the entire world.

And so the so-called Lausanne Movement was born. In the 35 years since then, the Lausanne Committee on World Evangelization (LCWE) has maintained a rudimentary organization (more a nexus of networks) and continues as an important resource for anyone engaged in disciple-making endeavor.

The Lausanne Covenant of 1974 is a seminal document uniting a wide range of Christian believers in common cause. In 1989, John Stott was a leading figure at Lausanne II (held in the Philippines) and a key author of the Manila Manifesto, a "statement of conviction and call to action" that amplified the earlier covenant and dealt with more recent issues.

Between these large gatherings, the Lausanne Movement chugs along quietly in the background, bringing smaller groups together to work at larger issues. Throughout the years they've been producing "occasional papers," exploring many facets of Christian witness and providing resources to help Christian workers throughout the world. Much of this work is freely available (www.lausanne.org/documents.htm).

Lausanne III coming soon

Now, plans are well advanced to convene a third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization in Cape Town, South Africa (October 16-25, 2010). This time more than 4,000 leaders from more than 200 countries will come together to wrestle with a new set of critical issues concerning the Church and the future of world evangelization. LCWE executive chair Doug Birdsall outlines five reasons why it's important to re-convene the congress at this particular time.

1) The truth claims of our faith are under attack by intellectuals and the media who have grown increasingly hostile to the gospel.

2) The resurgence of religious fundamentalism was not foreseen when Billy Graham convened the first Lausanne Congress in 1974. Indeed, at that time, it was feared that secularism would sweep the world.

3) The impact of globalization (including the Internet) and the challenge of mega-cities require the Church to adapt its strategic approach to world evangelization.

4) The migration of people around the world dramatically affects global missions methodologies.

5) The loss of a moral framework in the historically Christian cultures of our world means that nations once considered to be Christian are now mission fields again.

Canadians are involved. A volunteer committee led by John Franklin is assisted by groups such as the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, Arrow Leadership, World Vision and others who are keen to bring the concerns of Lausanne to Christian believers throughout our country. And 50 delegates from Canada will be going to Cape Town next year. This is down from the 110 who attended in Manila for good reason.

International organizers are hoping the final selection more accurately reflects the actual distribution of Christians in the world. While Christianity in the West wanes, it is rising in Africa and Asia.

Stay tuned. Lausanne is one of those nebulous forces capable of creating catalytic moments by capturing the passion of culturally engaged Christians and imbues it with a global vision. When you hear it mentioned in the months ahead, pay attention. Something powerful and good is about to become visible in Cape Town.

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